Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation

Summary Minutes of the Meeting of the Zionsville Park and Recreation Board March 9, 2016 The Zionsville Board of Park and Recreation met Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 7:02 PM. The meeting took place at the Town Hall’s Beverly Harves meeting room. George Abel, Wayne Bivans, Manda Clevenger, John Wollenburg, and Jeff Edmondson were present. Not present was Tim Casady. Also present Matt Dickey, Park Department Superintendent, and Roger Burrus, Park Board Atty. Minutes Manda Clevenger made a motion to approve the February 10, 2016 regular board meeting minutes as presented. Jeff Edmondson seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Public Comments/Presentations Polly Lawson from the Friends of the Zion Nature Center introduced herself and two other Friends; Kim Donavan and Sarah Niles to the Park Board. FZNC (Friends of the Zion Nature Center) also work closely with Mindy Murdock our Park Naturalist. FZNC extended an invitation for someone from the Park Board to join their board and become a member of the Friends’ organization if any Board members so desired. The mission statement for the FZNC is: The Friends of the Zion Nature Center is a 501C3 non-profit organization devoted to encouraging and supporting the Zionsville Nature Center. The organization seeks the involvement of the community in the form of financial and volunteer support to work toward the continued improvement of the Zionsville Nature Center. FZNC helped to raise funds to support this mission and for the Nature Center. They aided in applying for some grants and provided some fiscal support for the Nature Center programming. The main activities that the FZNC host are the Z’GreenFest (a “green” festival event) and the Zion NatureFest (a fundraising event). The Z’GreenFest will be on April 24th of this year. It is an Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration with many booths and activities planned. The NatureFest was on March 5 and consisted of family fun games, crafts, and many educational activities aimed at informing the public about nature and the Nature Center. NatureFest raised 25% more this year than last and they had about 10% more in public attendance. An aside, this year that represented about 145 people with a ~$1899 Gross Profit and a ~$1263 net profit to the Friends bank account. Another event they would like to work with the Park Department on is a Trail Run. The Friends consider this to be a great way to promote the parks in Zionsville. In conclusion, the Friends stated they would like to build a strong relationship between themselves and the Park Board so that they can work closely together in the future. They thanked the Park Board for their time. Attorney Burrus would like to meet with the Friends President Polly Lawson to go over a few legal issues. Staff Reports Superintendent Matt Dickey had several items to discuss with the Board. The first item to discuss is the Zionsville Bicycle Challenge (ZBC) event for this summer. Mr. Dickey wanted to know if the Park Board is still willing to sponsor this event again. Last year, the Bicycle Challenge was very successful with well over 100 participants. The Park Board sponsored $1,800 per year in the last two years; this covered the cost of t-shirts and prizes. This year it would help if that amount increased to $2,200; that would be from the recreation line item. The ZBC would likely be the same time-window as last year; the last two weeks in May and first four weeks in June. The Park Board by consensus agreed to increase the amount to $2,200 and also stated they agree that this event has been very successful. Another item up for discussion and possibly of Board action is a check from the Community Foundation of Boone County for $975 that is to be used to support the use of Lincoln Park for concerts. After the Park Board discussed areas where this donation could be used and based upon the staff’s recommendations, the Board decided to (like last year) use it to reimburse the costs to secure talent and to work on a reimbursement program. President George Abel made a motion to use the fund from the Foundation of Boone County for the concerts in Lincoln Park this year for purposes of reimbursing for talent and charging the committee for the concert with end of year reporting to the Foundation and copying this board on the information that’s needed or required by the Foundation. Jeff Edmondson seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Superintendent Dickey received a town event form from Indy Eleven Soccer. They are interested in a 3 hour a day; 4 days a week in 2 sessions soccer camp. Indy Eleven informed Mr. Dickey that they do have a quote from an Indianapolis park of $100 a day, to which Mr. Dickey said that the camp should accept Indianapolis Park’s quote as that is a great deal. Mr. Dickey reminded the Board of the income received from the Dwight Freeney Football Camp; the Parks Department received $500 a day for two days totaling $1,000. Indy Eleven Soccer stated in the form that they would be expecting 60 in attendance. Mr. Edmondson expressed concerns about the wear and tear on the field especially since spring play now includes both Rugby and Lacrosse leagues. The camp would be during the normal rest period for the sports-turf field; June and July. Also, Mr. Dickey pointed out that the Parks Department would have to check with the Zionsville Youth Soccer League and their schedule as they probably run camps too. Attorney Burrus reminded the Board that they would also have to follow the Athletic Field Use Policy, which has certain priorities in scheduling the use of the fields among other policies that will need to be followed by Indy Eleven. It was decided by the Park Board that Mr. Dickey would contact ZYSL first and then have Indy Eleven prepare a sample packet for the Park Board of last year’s documents with details of the camp, as well as the ages and total number of students that would be involved. As per tradition, the Garden Plots will be ready to reserve tomorrow morning. There were some changes this year at the Heritage Trail Park Garden Plots. Gardeners had been informed all along that the plots will eventually be moved south from where they were in the past and have been informed of certain parking changes as well. Because of construction, there will be 40 plots instead of 60. Regarding the New Nature Center Hybrid Building, Superintendent Dickey along with Mindy Murdock, Wayne DeLong, & George Abel met with a building design consultant team that the town had hired. The consultant team showed members of the Advisory Committee that there could be two buildings on site by using a smaller footprint to the Fire Station than the Parks Department had originally done on their document at the park planning. One item that Mr. Dickey suggested adding would be on the northwestern side where the Nature Center is located, maybe put a small square at a future date of a possible restroom on the western trail side. Another item to think about is getting an add alternate to finish more or all of the Heritage Trail Park parking area. This will be helpful next year with the garden plots. Also, the water is getting moved, they are getting prices on this now. This shift is required by the locational change of various site features and new mandates from the water company. Attorney Roger Burrus updated the Park Board on the Vonterra plans. He has been working with the plan commission attorney and others on finalizing the commitments for the Vonterra Project. The Planning Commission will be reviewing those plans at their next meeting on March 21st of this year. Mr. Dickey hired an engineering firm to look at the southern Zionsville Rail Trail Ramp, utilizing portions of remnant moneys shifted from several 2015 line items. As of 2015, the firm has verified that the ramp is in good shape and could last for another 15-20 years. Attorney Burrus will be reviewing draft specifications for a quote or bid on building a stairway down from the ramp in order to appropriately meet the elevation challenges. Park Board President, Mr. George Abel, said that Jane Smith and her husband were back to discuss the fence on the common boundary of their property line and the Zionsville Golf Course property line. After meeting with the Smiths on two occasions and observing other fences going along the east with other property owners, it was jointly discussed in the meeting that a split rail fence (4 foot high at the top railing) would be a reasonable compromise between the viewpoints of the Smiths and golf course staff, and that once said agreement was completed, the Smiths could remove the old fence and construct the new one to the standards discussed in the meeting. Other key points contributed for placement into this agreement was that there should be 1” x 3” wire mesh on the homeowner’s side of the fence and it should be securely fastened across all rails of the fence. The fence should have no gate, opening, or other ways that assist in crossing the fence, and it should be built in the same location as the old fence as shown by our survey to have been on the property line (Mr. Abel offered a copy of the survey to the Smiths). John Wollenburg made a motion to allow the Board President, Park Superintendent, and the Park Board Attorney to prepare and enter into such an agreement to allow the removal of the existing fence and for installation of the type of fence as discussed. Manda Clevenger seconded. The motion was passed unanimously. New Business The Zionsville Half Marathon and 5K Run had submitted a request via a Town Event form. Mr. Dickey had a couple of items to discuss about this event. One the maintenance staff suggested is that the flower beds should be roped off to prevent runners from damaging them. Another issue was the awards ceremony and the concert at the end of this event. The event planners would like to use Lincoln Park for this and Mr. Dickey explained to the board and event planners that Lincoln Park may not have the room for the number of people that will in attendance at this part of the event. After discussing with the Board, John Wollenburg made a motion to approve the event form as submitted in the Park Board packet with the addition of making the change of roping off flower beds as well as making sure possible concert is not set up on the Lincoln Park area. Jeff Edmondson seconded. The motion was passed unanimously. Old Business None reported Other Board Related Items Superintendent Dickey announced that we have received a request from Butler University about working with the Parks Department on a project called the Urban Wildlife Habitat Research Project. This project involves placing motion-triggered cameras opposite a scented lure fixed to a tree or existing post within a park; Creekside Nature Park for wildlife monitoring. The Park Board decided that they would give Mr. Dickey the authority to discuss with Butler University about providing a sign for the public explaining what the cameras are for, if the animal lure will effect dogs in the area, & what happens if vandals would try to take the cameras down. John Wollenburg made a motion to that effect adding that Attorney Burrus should advice on any legal issues. Manda Clevenger seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Citizen Advisory Committees No reports given Claims Jeff Edmondson made a motion to approve the claims as submitted. Manda Clevenger seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. The meeting was then adjourned with a motion made by Park Board Member Jeff Edmondson, Manda Clevenger seconded at ~9:00PM. The next regular Park Board meeting is scheduled for April 13, 2016 at 7PM, at the Town Hall’s Beverly Harves Room. _______________________________ ____________________________________ Manda Clevenger, Secretary George Abel, President